


Rewinding Time

by Skeren



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Sibling Trade Off
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-15 22:30:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5802553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skeren/pseuds/Skeren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Darlian family was not the only one to escape the Alliance at the fall of Sanq. No, there were others. One change. How far can one change really make it all go? Really, what can one little girl change?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter Zero

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2004. The lone piece of the last chapter was written in 2005 before I lost access to what motivated me.
> 
> I have low hopes in ever finishing this, but I've always wanted to try. No promises.

**A.C. 182, Sanq**

Meria Yrueland and her husband, Darien, had been privileged to watch over the Peacecraft daughter during the Christmas party this year. Their small son, barely two months older than little Relena, was named Duarte. Meria had just knelt down to pick them both up when an explosion rocked the building, causing her to stumble and fall near the two toddlers, one of whom was strangely calm as the other started wailing. The calm one was the baby girl.

Relena moved closer to the little boy, babbling at him in a manner that seemed to calm him down. Not waiting to check, his mother immediately got up, sweeping the two babes into her arms before running, her husband at her heels. He didn't remain there long, a single bullet in the sudden hail of gunfire cutting the black haired man down. Meria couldn't stop though. There were greater things than her husband to take care of. The children in her arms were more important, as much as she would miss him. Her devotion as a mother and retainer would allow her to think no less.

Meria finally managed to get out into the streets but didn't dare contend her good luck; the soldiers had cut down many that had tried to flee before her. She didn't make contact with the Darlian family who fled in another direction with the injured little Milliardo, no, she went back to her mother's colony. L2.

**A.C. 185, L2**

Duarte clapped as Relena blew out the candles on her birthday cake. "Yay! Rena you blew em all out. What'd you wish for?"

Rena, as the little violet-eyed boy called her, scowled. "If I tell you then it couldn't come true!"

Their mother's weak voice came from the doorway, and the sound of gunshots from just past where she'd come from almost overrode her words. "Children you have to run! I can't... I can't go with you. But Duarte, you take care of Relena. She's important... Please, go!" After that, she slumped to the floor, unmoving. 

Duarte barely held Rena back from running to his mother. "No! We have to go! Remember what mummy said? Rena, we have to go! She'll come find us if we play hide an seek. Less go hide, kay?"

Rena clearly didn't want to, but she saw no choice, her blue eyes holding tears as she decided that her mother was simply asleep. That in mind, she turned and nodded seriously, both children going for the hiding place that their mother never checked, but she told them to go to if it was ever loud when they had to hide. They always won when they hid there. They yanked the little doorway open and slipped in. The space was below the level of the ground and tucked under the wall, and the pair moved down the three feet to the small space just big enough to sit together in. Then they waited, hands clasping each other tight as they heard the shouts from above.

"Where's the princess? You found out this was where she'd been hidden away, now where's the little brat?" The first voice was loud, and angry.

"I don't know sir, but the girl had to be here, look at the cake... well, the remainder of the cake. It has her name on it." The second voice held the hints of desperation.

"Fine, just keep looking, I'm certain we can find the brat." It was the first voice again, and after that they were out of hearing range. 

* * *

They waited for hours as a loud crackling sound was heard overhead and their little hidey-hole had black dirty stuff fall on their heads. It was only after the black stuff started falling that it was all quiet outside. Duarte was the first to move. The soot-stained his little hands as he crawled free of the tunnel, looking around to see if there was anyone left. There was no one there, but there was nothing else either. His home was gone. 

"Rena!!" Duarte turned, his chestnut colored hair streaked with the black soot as he stood, tears running down his face. Immediately the little girl appeared beside him from the hole, her own countenance liberally streaked with the soot. Duarte gestured around the ash surrounding him. "I dun think mummy's comin back Rena..."

Rena wrapped her arms around her brother and they just stood like that together, two small children who suddenly only had each other, crying their eyes out. "D, 'm hungry. Can we please go get somethin'?"

D nodded, his name of Duarte lost into the abyss of death that no one can ever cross back. "Yeah Rena, I can help you find somethin to eat. There's nothing here, so let's go somewhere else, kay?"

Rena took the other little child's hand with a nod and they set out into the streets. They didn't look back, because both knew there was nothing to look back to. 

**A.C. 186, L2**

"Let go of my brother!!" Rena was glaring at the blonde boy they had been looking up to for the last couple months. "Make him let go of D!"

The boy shook his head, but saw the determination in her blue eyes. If he didn't charge to the rescue of the other child, then she would. He liked the twins, as the street kids were calling them, too much for her to get hurt. He quickly jumped onto the man, startling him out of his grip on the long haired pretty boy he held. D was already running the second he was released, and not long after, the other two were running behind him. He ducked around into the alley behind the other two once they were far enough away, wheezing badly. His chest hurt.

Rena moved forward to hug the tall boy, a smile on her face. "Thank you, Solo! He's getting better! He only got caught once in the entire time you've known us!"

D turned a glare on Relena playfully, but once Relena let go, Solo curled over into a coughing fit. "Solo? What's wrong?" 

Solo shook his head. He knew what it was; he'd barely managed to avoid getting sick last time they did this to the kids. He also knew he wasn't the only one sick. "I'm sick. You know we can' trust the doctors. They'd kill me."

"No! Doctors make people better... Right?" Rena sat back on her heels, her tangled blonde hair looking brown.

D shook his head. "No, he's right. I saw what happened to the last person who got sick, they just killed em! Somebody with money was there and they gave him this stuff... He's been walkin around since then... Maybe I should get some of that stuff, so the kids won't get sick!"

Solo was looking between the pair as they shared a speaking glance, then Rena turned back to him. "I'll help Solo with the others, since he's sick. You go get the stuff D, you're better at stealin anyway."

D nodded, leaving the pair as the other kids found them, swarming around their ill leader. Rena just smiled a bit. D was the sneaky one, but she was the one that fought. They hadn't chosen Rena to stay for no reason.

D was successful, getting enough vaccine for everyone but himself. They hadn't had enough for all of them. He knew Rena could survive without him, and he could just hope he wouldn't get sick. D skidded into the area where the others were and started to give them the vaccine. They would be all right. He was starting to worry though... He'd been gone days... Where were Rena and Solo?

D finally found them. Rena wasn't sick, but she was holding Solo who wasn't looking good at all. The blonde boy looked so pale... D ducked down and gave Rena her dose, turning at last to Solo, only to see the boy give him a small smile.

"Sorry buddy, I think I'll have to pass. I'm kinda not gonna be able to use it..." The raspy, faint voice trailed off as D leaned forwards, Rena's sad eyes on her friend as she shook him. 

"D... He's not waking up..." Rena looked to D, her blue eyes wide.

"Rena... Could you... Could you call me Duo? He always said D wasn't much of a name..." Duo ducked his head, picking up the dropped vaccine, and he injected the last dose into himself. There'd been enough for him after all.

Rena smiled slightly, though it was sad. "Alright... Duo."

**A.C. 188, L2**

"Duo, this is a bad idea!" Rena was running alongside her brother, her blue eyes wide on her face. "You know this is a bad idea!"

Duo stopped, turning his gaze on his sister. "Rena... What else am I supposed to do? I can't get em food anymore. This is our last option!"

Rena shook her head. "Then let me run in your place. You need to stay back in case something happens!"

Duo shook his head. "I'm the leader! I can't risk you... The last thing I remember about mummy was that she wanted me to watch over you... It's all I remember."

Rena scowled. "I'm not taking no for an answer! You protect me better doing what you do best. I fight and run, you hide and sneak, got it?"

Duo ducked his head, his tangled hair covering his face. "Fine! But if you get caught I'm comin after you!" 

Rena smiled, moving to the other kids. "I know."

Duo watched as the raid went sour; his eyes wide as bullets started to fly. He did as he promised though. He never lied. He wouldn't start now by going down there. It was a relief though when he saw his sister turned over to some man for custody with the others. She wasn't hurt.

Duo followed behind at a distance as he saw where they were going. It was a church? Duo shook his head in mild confusion over the unexpected destination, but could only be grateful. Duo waited until it was dark before making his move. He managed to pry open the window, slipping over the sill to see Rena sitting in a corner staring down a priest and a nun. He was behind them.

"You can't! I want my brother! Don't either of you come near me!" It was only when Duo inched closer that he saw the scissors the nun had in hand. He didn't even wanna know what they were for. Unfortunately, Rena gave Duo's position away by looking at him.

The second the priest turned, Duo found himself caught by the collar of his shirt and he kicked out, trying to get loose of the hold. "Lemme go!"

Rena shot forward in an instant, jumping up and latching onto the priest's arm, making him drop Duo before both backed away from him. "Don't you touch my brother!"

The priest looked at the nun with a small smile. "Well, now that's he's here, could you let us do something with your hair? Sister Helen only wanted to cut it a little. It wouldn't be so hard to keep the tangles out then."

Sister Helen moved forward, only to have the filthy pair retreat. With a sigh, she put the scissors away. "Really! Fine, you two need a bath first anyway. " She moved forwards carefully, realizing how very wild the two children were, and she gently managed to maneuver them towards the bathroom. The priest was slowly getting an idea what to do with their hair. Well, Rena's hair. He didn't yet know if Duo would let Sister Helen cut his.

She ushered the two filthy kids into the bath and was stunned at what she found underneath the grime. The children were lovely! The little girl was even a blonde, something she had no reason to suspect before the grime was cleaned out of her hair. Helen found a smaller version of the clothes the priest was wearing and one of the larger black shirts and gave them to the kids. She even found a dark red sash to tie around Relena's waist so she wouldn't drown in the huge shirt that was big enough on her to be a dress. Duo remedied his own problem, rolling up the far too long pant legs and the cuffs on the arms before looking over at Relena in her makeshift dress. She ended up with a pair of pants rolled up like Duo's under the dress/shirt. Once the pair was clothed, Sister Helen dared to draw the scissors again.

Duo visibly bristled, and crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the woman, Rena standing beside him in the same pose. "No way! You aren't gonna touch my hair with those!"

"But I need to do something with it... It isn't clean to keep it how you have it now." Sister Helen fretted, looking towards the door as the Priest entered. "Father Maxwell, could you help me with this?"

Father Maxwell smiled at the pair, then turned to Sister Helen with a brush. "You do know how to braid hair, don't you Sister? Maybe that would suit them."

Sister Helen slumped visibly in relief. "Yes, I do."

Duo eyed the pair with suspicion. "I won't look girly will I?"

Rena grinned, looping an arm around her brother. "Nah, I wouldn't let em make you look even _more_ like a girl."

Duo gave her a disgusted look before approaching Sister Helen. "Just one, right?"

The nun nodded, dealing with the pair for the next few minutes. Duo had a single braid down his spine at the end of it that reached the bottom of his back, and Relena had agreed to a braid on either side of her head, a single tie holding them together behind her. It took the two a while, but they finally got settled in.

It was months before Father Maxwell sat the pair down to try and understand their resiliency to the idea of God. "Would you please tell me why, no matter how hard you seem to be studying, you still don't believe in God?"

Duo smiled widely. "I do believe in god, I believe in Shinigami, the God of Death."

Rena was nodding as Duo spoke; her answer was more of an elaboration. "Right, and the Goddess of Death too, Shinimegami!"

Father Maxwell was taken aback. "But why do you only believe in deities of death?" 

Duo was the one that gave the last answer then. "Because we've only ever seen death. I've never seen a miracle, and neither has Rena."

**A.C. 189, L2**

"Why don't you go somewhere else, we don't want you here!" Rena was glaring angrily at the people who'd taken over her home. She and Duo were still at the orphanage because no one wanted them both. They weren't what people considered "good children" and they refused to act like it. In that, their parents ended up being Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. All the rest of their gang had gone on, but these two considered the church their home. And now these horrible people were defiling it with their presence.

The man in the lead of the rebels advanced on the blonde girl then knocked her aside as Father Maxwell came into the room and saw what was going on. "You leave the children alone! This is a peaceful church. Please just leave, we want no trouble here! This place has no room for war!"

Another rebel entered the room with Sister Helen and shoved her forward rudely. "Yeah, well we want to stay here anyway. We're in a war old man, it's pointless to be telling us to leave it at the door!"

Father Maxwell caught Sister Helen before she hit the floor, but it was only to cushion the fall when she landed on him. Rena was moving forward with a glare when Duo skidded out in front of them all, braid flying as he glared at the people who had tried to hurt the people he cared about.

"What'll it take to make you guys just leave?" Duo looked from one to another, his hands fisted as Rena came up beside him. 

"Well, if you think you can do it, we need a Mobile Suit, then we'd have no reason to be here." One of the rebels moved up next to his leader.

"Fine, then I'll get you one!" Duo turned on his heel, "Then you can just leave!" Duo tried to transmit to Rena the idea of stay, but she followed him from the church. "Rena, what are you doing?"

"Coming with you. You need me there. They have Father Maxwell to defend them. You need me in case you have trouble." Rena kept her voice low as she moved in step with the other black dressed child.

"Fine, but don't you get in my way." Duo only conceded because he knew he wouldn't win that argument, and they fell silent. 

The pair moved through the base like ghosts, their years on the streets allowing them to avoid the personnel before they finally reached the mobile suits. Duo looked around furtively, his attention seeking out anyone who could catch them as he scurried up the suit, Rena on his heels as they slid into the hatch. 

Duo stared at the panel as the two of them strapped themselves into place. "This wasn't made for two people you know." Duo shook his head a little, starting to hit controls as his sharp mind figured out what everything was for. He hoped Relena would be all right in here...

"Yeah well, we're short. We fit. Aiee, but it's a little ouchie." Rena squirmed away from Duo's elbow where he sat in front of her. She'd hit her growth spurt before him so she was the taller of the two. Besides, she was only a little skilled in technology; she was better with person to person interaction... Usually. She usually left all the broken things in the orphanage to him, though she could do all right in a pinch.

"Then just lean back and lemme do this!" Duo had managed to get the suit off the ground, and it was taking all his strength to get the thing to obey him. It wasn't meant for someone who was as small as him. Rena moved her arms around him, helping him with the controls when there were people suddenly firing at them from other suits. She opened a line to see who it was even as Duo focused on fighting. She got a really good look at who it was. 

"Don't think so brother." She closed out the line, then helped him to get out of there once he knocked out the lead fighter. What they returned to as they slowly got out of the Mobile Suit was devastation.

"No, not again!" Rena was the one that screamed this, her legs weak, but Duo stumbled as he hit the ground, eyes glued on the church. He caught sight of a blonde figure in a nun's habit and ran forward, Rena as his side as the two children fell beside the only woman they could remember being a mother figure. She wasn't dead yet.

Rena was shaking her head in denial as she grabbed up one of Sister Helen's hands, Duo leaning down with tears in his eyes as he whispered to her. "You'll be alright Sister, we just gotta get some help..."

Sister Helen gave the pair a small smile, her last, as she lifted her free hand, her cross dangling in it, and Father Maxwell's. One was a delicate gold, her own, and the other was a silver one, clearly made to be sturdy. "Please, keep smiling, don't cry... Take them. Don't be sad over me..." She drew a deep harsh breath, her words stealing away the last bit of her strength before blood flowed from her lips and her eyes glassed over. 

Duo shook his head, clasping the pair of necklaces to his chest tightly. "I promise Sister Helen. I'll keep smiling for you..." Duo closed his eyes tight, a sad, forced smile on his face. "No tears."

Rena bowed her head. "I promise too Sister Helen. I won't let myself be sad." She kissed the back of Helen's hand, then set it gently on her chest. "C'mon D, we can't stay here... It isn't safe anymore."

Duo rose to his feet, dropping one cross around his own neck, and the other around his sister's. He never did figure out how Sister Helen had Father Maxwell's chain.

**A.C. 191, Shuttle on the way away from L2**

Duo wasn't sure whether to be amused or angry as Rena was found out, having tripped over something while following him. She was graceful, but not quite as good at keeping to the shadows as he. They'd been on the ship long enough there was no kicking them off... Duo brought himself short. No kicking them off if they cared if they lived! "Drop her!" Duo jumped out of hiding, tackling the person with a grip on his sibling.

It wasn't the wisest thing that he might have done, as all it did was get both youths detained. Rena chose to comment on this. "That was very helpful."

"Hey, you woulda done the same!" Duo looked at the people who had them fearfully as they started a conversation about whether to toss them out the airlock...

"I really don't think that would be needed." The person who spoke was a man who had rather bizarre hair, and he looked from one youth to the other. "How did you get onto the ship?" Another man, with a rather loud Hawaiian print themed shirt, moved up to stand next to the older man. 

"We walked in, how else?" Rena lifted her chin as she made the haughty statement and Duo smirked.

"Yeah, what'd you expect us to have done? Fly?" Duo yanked on his arm again, and got it free, but the man had a hand on his braid, keeping him in place. "Let go of that!"

Rena looked over and jerked against her own holders as she heard the tone of Duo's voice. "Don't you mess with us!"

"Why, what are you two? A pair of demons?" This was from the strange-haired man.

Duo was the one that answered, glaring death at the man that was speaking to them. "No, We're Shinigami and Shinimegami, the god and goddess of death! Now lemme go!"

The man who was holding Duo abruptly let go as he was bitten. "You little shit!"

The man with the strange hair studied the pair as the girl was released, her hair flipping back as she lifted her head proudly. "Well. Is that so? I'll just have to remember that. My name is Professor G, but you two... You can call me Pestilence. How would you both like to learn a few things?"

The man in the loud Hawaiian shirt stepped in. "Before you get to that, I'm Howard. Have any other names I can call you?"

Rena nodded. "We're Rena and Duo Maxwell."


	2. Chapter One

**A.C. 195, Earth orbit**

Duo stared at the man who had been teaching him, and Rena was only a second behind him as she registered what he'd just said. "Wait, the plan is to do _what?_ "

Rena shook her head, her black dress with its crimson bow in compliment to Duo's priestly garb. "No, I must not have heard that at all. What was that?"

Professor G sighed and shook his head. "You heard me. The plan was to destroy the Earth to free the colonies." 

Duo grasped at the key word in there. "Was?"

Rena looked over at her brother, then back to G as she waited for the reply. She wasn't going to let Duo go destroy Earth, she'd sooner make him kill them all. She wanted peace and nobody else to be like her and Duo, losing everyone they loved! They were doing this to protect people, not to blow up the planet! When G said nothing, she had to prod him, her tone imperious. "Well?"

"Steal Deathscythe." G finally spat out his not quite master plan, and got a pair of gazes that asked just how _that_ was going to happen. They weren't midgets anymore. Duo was 5'1" and Rena was 5'. All right, so they were midgets, but Deathscythe was _tiny_ inside. 

"I'm not gonna leave Rena here." Duo glared at the man as though he was a fool for ever even suggesting it. 

"I didn't say you should. Take her. I added extra straps in behind the pilot's seat, just look at it, she'll be as safe as you to get down there, I wasn't stupid enough to think she wouldn't try and go with you on that mission of yours. It's no more, just go, create anarchy my little Deaths." G smiled slightly, and watched as the two finally relaxed.

"Pestilence, just who did you think you were talking to? A pair of angels?" Rena smiled, moving forward to give G a hug. "We best be on good terms next I see you!"

G let a slip of the tongue that had been lurking on his mind for a while now finally go, he always thought Rena just wasn't elegant enough for the girl. "No Relena. Just a pair of Deities."

Rena pulled back with an odd look, then blinked. "That... Duo... Mummy called me that... I think... Duo, I'm going to tell other people to call me that, on Earth. But I'll still be Rena inside, okay?" She turned; gazing wide-eyed at her brother. 

"Sure thing Rena. Relena Maxwell. It sure sounds nice doesn't it? C'mon, let's go steal a Gundam." Duo took Relena's hand and headed off to Deathscythe on quick feet, giving G no chance to change his mind before they were in the hanger with the giant hulk of black. It was only minutes before the pair was out in space. 

**Earth**

Duo shook his head hard as he stared at Relena. "No! You need to get some sort of real social life, it's a good place to start!"

"But Duo... I've never been around people like that!" Relena stared with wide eyes at her brother. He was proposing leaving her with those... those snobs? How could he dare suggest such a thing to her?

Duo rested his hands on her shoulders. "I know you can do this. I need to go wreak mayhem, while you, you get to go screw with the heads of a bunch of flighty featherbrains. Make them bow down to you Rena. You have it in you; I've seen it. The sweepers adored you. The kids, they adored you. You can make those snobby bureaucrats do the same. Make me proud. We won't be here long, but you have to at least try. For me?"

Relena finally gave in, moving forward and wrapping her arms around Duo. "Alright, but next time we get a cool machine, I get to play with it."

"Only if you know how to fix it." Duo gave her another squeeze before turning and striding away, leaving her to face the gates of the ritzy school all alone. She then squared her shoulders and strode in. She had a group of spoiled brats to tame. She'd make Duo proud of her people skills if it killed her.

* * *

Even as Relena was getting her talk from Duo, a shuttle was put into serious danger as it partially cut across the path of an armed spacecraft. Two men were gazing out the window, one in his late teens, and one verging on middle age. There was a firefight of a kind going on outside the window, and what appeared to be the other spacecraft was being driven away from the shuttle.

The older man whispered quietly, thinking his assistant's keen hearing wouldn't catch it. "Operation Meteor..."

The tall blonde teen turned his warm pale blue eyes on the man who spoke, his long hair fluttering around him. "Father? Was there something you said?" He knew there was so much more to this trip than just sightseeing. He'd crossed his majority recently, and something had changed... His father seemed almost driven to go to Earth.

"What? No Milliardo, it was nothing." The older man quirked a smile at his 'son' and only got a thoughtful glance in return. He'd been getting a lot of those recently from the boy, and he couldn't help thinking that he was missing something important within them.

"Please, call me Miri father, you know how I despise being reminded of that time without good reason." The blond wasn't angry, showing that he didn't mean to come across as such by quirking a smile to his Father. "Just, live with it a little longer. When we get to Earth, you can tell me what is so very important."

"You're right. We can all pretend a little longer." 

It was then that the stewardess came by with a polite "Minister Darlian? Please, strap in, we are reentering the atmosphere now that the threat has passed."

* * *

Relena had survived until lunch! She tossed her bag aside and went to the sea that had looked so good all afternoon from the classroom window. She only wanted to get out there and look at it, away from the chirpy harpies she'd suffered all day. She got the unexpected sight of a watery landing, then seeing someone dressed in a flight suit emerging from the waves. Instead of going near him, she instead got out a compact communicator, and eyed it consideringly. No, he might be a diver. Unlikely as that was. Though she promised herself to keep an eye on him, that, of course, meant until his helm was removed. She felt no remorse over her sneaky tactics while she watched him take off in a car that had been parked across the street. "How very interesting..." She turned a little to glance back towards the water, so she didn't even see the way he stared out the window just before he drove away.

Relena returned to her school and was immediately assaulted with happy chatter. Just what did Duo put in her files anyway? Instead of asking the questions on her mind, she smiled, starting to make up the flowery nonsense she had managed to get away from for a precious hour. She sincerely hoped the day would improve. Of course, it was already waiting to take a turn as two pairs of blue eyes settled on her, one dark intense blue, while the other set were pale and feminine. The first looked intrigued, the second, assessing, then the owner of the second set left the school without a backward glance.

Relena found herself cornered in the garden as she was about to leave it, and she cursed inwardly over the fact that her threat radar had chosen _now_ to stop working. This thought only got louder as she tipped her head back slightly and met threatening dark blue eyes. 

"Why hello, is there something I can help you with mister short, dark, and brooding?" Relena slid back into her sarcasm. She hadn't expected to see this person here. She also felt like a fool because he clearly recognized her as well as she recognized him.

The boy lifted his chin with a sort. "What did you see?" 

"Well aren't you just rude! I see a boy who hasn't told me his name. I'm Relena Maxwell, and you?" Relena cocked a hip, resting her hand on it as the other hung by her side, just itching to go for one of her knives. She didn't like the feeling she was getting from this boy at all.

Heero lifted his chin. "Heero Yuy. I saw you at the beach. What did you see?" He took a step forward then, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Hey, you're named after a dead guy! It's alright, so am I." Relena grinned as the bell tolled. "Bye, bye Heero, I don't need to be late for any classes on the first day." She moved forward, fluttering a kiss over his cheek with quickness that Heero hadn't been expecting. "Nice glare by the way." Then Relena ducked out of the gardens, shifting flawlessly into the uppity regal tones that the rich girls demanded.

Heero was left standing in shock, his fingers moving to his cheek. He'd never had a reaction like that before. "Relena Maxwell? It's a shame I have to kill you..." Heero's words are a soft murmur as he finally shook himself out of his daze, ducking after the girl into the gaudily uniformed crowd seconds later. He'd been finished in the computer lab anyway.

Relena was seated in class when Heero was brought through the door and presented to thm. Did the fates hate her? Relena sighed and simply stared at Heero, she didn't want to share any classes with the unnerving boy! Not a one! So what happened?

"Ahh, Miss Maxwell has a seat open, go sit next to her, she is a bright girl who might be able to answer any questions you have." The teacher ushered Heero forward and seated him next to the blonde girl. The girl in question barely suppressed a growl as Heero immediately turned to look at her. 

"What was it you wanted again?" Relena thought maybe being on the offensive would be good, because she really didn't know what to do with the expression lurking in those cold eyes. She once again cursed her mocking nature. She just had to go and kiss the cute boy on the cheek. He had looked like he needed it...

"She said if I have any questions I should ask you. So tell me, did you see anything?" Heero's voice was so soft it was barely audible.

Relena shook her head in amazement. "Your mind is so totally one track. Fine, yes, I saw, wow, you have a suit. Does that mean you're done now?" Relena opened her science book pointedly. They were getting into electromagnets and other things along those lines. She was just grateful that Duo insisted on them knowing everything that they could get their hands on while growing up. It meant she actually understood and surpassed this drivel she was in class for. Not to mention finding out they both had a talent for languages.

Heero studied Relena for another moment before shrugging and opening his book, glancing into it before starting to answer the questions, not even bothering to read. 

* * *

Relena was starting to think that Heero was a bit too interested in her. After that fated class, he'd had them all with her and it was starting to bother her. At least this was the last class of the day. She'd even managed to get a seat near the door and across the room from him. He kept staring at her, and she didn't like it. She was a street kid, and when someone stared at you, it usually didn't mean good things. This was little better. 

She was grateful when the bell rang, her black shoes taking her quickly to the door. Just as soon as she met up with her brother by the shore she would be changing out of this hideous outfit. Now, she just had to go see how it went.

Unfortunately, her plans took a detour when a mass of girls cornered her just feet from the outer doorway, the bulk of them drawing her away. _No! I want freedom!_ The inward scream was met with a charming outward smile, her eyes scanning for an exit that was not to be found. The girls would make good guards, and soon she was drawn unwillingly into the small talk. _Duo, for this I'm going to kill you!_ It was a fruitless threat, and she was drawn into the crowd preparing for a party that weekend.

* * *

It had been three hours since school ended and she'd only just managed to escape! They'd dressed her up in some of her clothes, but seemed rather disappointed at all the dark colors she had. She liked black and red, okay? She was only glad she did something to distract them from the party arrangements. She didn't care! Her footsteps drew her to the waterside only to see the boy who had been following her around already there, his gaze on the water. She wanted to break something. The upside: she beat Duo back.

Heaving a sigh, she moved out to the beachside, ignoring the blue eyed boy waiting for her by the water. Okay, maybe he wasn't waiting for her... Was he messing with explosives? Great! Relena wasn't all that expecting of the gun she suddenly found leveled at her when the boy heard her come out onto the sand.

She frowned a little. "What's that for?"

"You saw me. You can't be allowed to see me." Heero's voice was a low near monotone; the inflections so slight she almost didn't catch them. 

She opened her mouth to reply when a familiar shape emerged from the waves. Of course, Heero was too busy cocking back his gun to shoot her to pay her brother any mind. Meanwhile Duo, well, he didn't look happy when he saw the situation. "You might want to put the gun down."

Heero shook his head to indicate no, eyes focusing only on her. In the next second, she didn't have to worry about it, Duo having drawn and shot the boy across his gun arm to make him let go. "Please step away from the girl."

Relena was about to get offended when the boy lunged for the gun, only to have Duo shoot him in the leg. Masochistic was he? Relena remembered that this person might be important and moved forward, shaking her head. "Hold up Duo! He's a pilot!"

"What?" Duo's voice was rife with confusion, understandably, and Heero chose to head for his explosives rather than dealing with Relena.

"Duo! Explosives! Stop him!" Relena spun, catching sight of movement, tried to grab Heero before he passed, only to fail miserably. Just great. She saves him and he's about to have Duo shoot him, again. Didn't this guy have a will to live?

"Rena! Back up!" Duo leaped in the way of the injured blue eyed boy, noting absently that he was running as though uninjured, and narrowed his eyes as he saw what he was running for. "I don't _think_ so!"

Heero drew up then dodged to a side, not even considering the fact that the girl behind him would know any sort of fighting before he was tackled rudely to the gravel. Duo was on them in an instant, helping Relena pin Heero firmly to the ground. "Any ideas how to keep him restrained until he stops?" Relena's voice held little confidence for this idea. 

"Not really, but if you promise to take care of it, I might let you play with the pretty new suit." To this there was a snarl from Heero, and he tried to get more violent. "Well, maybe not." Duo threw his weight into it, managing to bring a hand up before hitting Heero squarely in the back of the head, knocking the dark haired boy out. "Now that _that_ is settled, Scythe baby should be appearing any second now with his new friend."

Relena climbed off Heero and dusted herself off. "Since you managed to wind up with two suits for the moment, how about you take him." She pauses, pointing. "While _I_ take his suit, and we'll all fly over to visit our dear vision impairing shirt man?"

Duo huffed a breath. "What about all the stuff you have at your new school?" Duo didn't like Relena being in danger, and never had. The girl just refused to stay out of the war zones though. 

"I'll get it later, it's not like I can't replace it if I have to." Relena shrugged, rolling Heero over with an annoyed look. "And this pest followed me around all day anyway. You'd think he was a puppy or something."

Duo laughed a little, shaking his head as he picked Heero up and got them both off the ground. "Yeah? Looks like you have an admirer Rena." 

Relena glared by way of reply, crossing her arms and pushing Duo enough to make him nearly drop said 'admirer' on the ground. "Yeah? Well, you have him follow you around and deal with those harpies all day and see how _you_ like it!"

Duo glanced over at Relena, readjusting Heero across his shoulders just as the Gundams came up from the water. "Hey, you agreed!"

"What did you put in my _files_ Duo? You'd think I was a celebrity or some crap like that!" Relena moved ahead of Duo, catching sight of the Wing Gundam and was running an appreciative gaze over it.

"Err... I got a little carried away?" Duo tried to avoid the question, eyes flicking everywhere but the blue eyed girl that was shooting venom at him in her gaze. That look was scary. "Hey did you get Mr. Trigger-happy's name at any point?"

"Actually yeah, right before I kissed him. He said he's Heero Yuy, if you can believe that!" Relena crawled up onto the white Gundam, almost cooing at the thought of being able to pilot it. She wasn't as enamored as Duo over the big machines, but she'd appreciated them ever since the fateful night she's first helped Duo pilot one. 

Duo didn't need any help as he nearly dropped Heero this time, staring wide-eyed at Relena. "You did _what_? Heero Yuy? I thought that was a dead guy..."

Relena sniggered, keeping up with the double conversation as she climbed into Wing, poking around the controls happily. "On the _cheek_ D babe, on the cheek. He needed some serious loosening up, spewing death threats like that! All willy nilly you know? I didn't think he'd start following me around after I did that though... Yeah, Heero Yuy is that dead guy who was trying to sweep peace through the colonies when we were little. I think you skipped out of that class."

"Of course he'd follow you around. Look at you! You're the perfect girl; you even like the same machines he does. Is it cool in there? Oh, and that class was boring!" Duo moved forward, managing to work his way up Deathscythe to drop the boy into the double rigged harness behind the pilot's seat and strapping him in before leaning out to look at Relena.

"Way cool. Let's get moving before sleeping grumpy in there wakes up." With that, Relena started to fiddle with the controls, making sure she knew what did what before taking off. She already knew where they were going.

* * *

In another place, one short blond teen was cursing up a storm. He had descended to Earth, but then he found out the only person he considered a brother was headed there as well. What by Allah was Zechs doing? It had to be the older teen's father doing it. He'd never known the taller blond to appreciate Earth that much. He hadn't ever been interested in heading to Earth since he had met him. The small blonde shook himself out of his thoughts with annoyance. He was in the middle of a fight with what appeared to be another Gundam. Wrong time to go thinking about the news he'd gotten just after he'd hit the radio distance needed for the news. The pilot dodged his Gundam under another volley of shots, only to slump once he realized the other one was out of bullets. Perfect. 

"We shouldn't be working against each other!" The blonde hadn't been observant enough and the other pilot had seen him among the rest. "To show I want to not fight against you..." The blond drew a deep breath, popping his hatch as the other Gundam stilled, then removed himself from Sandrock, hands held aloft once he hit the ground, and he moved forward. 

There was a hesitation from the other pilot, then a lanky boy with hair covering half his face jumped down as well, mirroring the pale boy's pose, both walking forward until they were just beyond each other's reach. 

The blond extended his hand after lowering them slowly, a gentle smile on his face. "Quatre Raberba Winner... And yourself?"

The green-eyed boy hesitated, then reached forward to meet the handshake. "I'm being called Trowa Barton now."

* * *

The dark haired woman went back to her room, having helped her last youthful student get back to sleep after a particularly nasty nightmare. She was the top graduate from academy, and it had made her colder than she should have been. Her students were all that warmed her. She couldn't help but smile around them and their competitions to beat her. They were bitter smiles though. She was terribly lonely. 

She'd always disliked war. She had the option of going into space and had, only to be disheartened by the conflict she saw. So she'd come back to teach. Her students would be leaving soon, graduation having been just that morning. She was thinking deeply about that. She's have new students again soon. She shook off her thoughts and was just about to climb back into bed when an explosion rocked the base, sending her stumbling. Catching herself, she didn't even take the time to put more on as she moved from the room, catching sight of smoldering ruins where the explosion had rocked through not long before. 

She then saw one of her beloved students, the youth with the nightmares, sprawled out in the hallway and dropped to her knees as others ran to her. "Lieutenant Noin! What should we do?"

"Theo... What happened?" She pulled the wounded Theo into her arms, a very bad feeling in her heart. 

The bloody boy gave her a feeble smile, already knowing he wasn't going to live. "I was leaving my room for water and then the room blew up..." He coughed, cuddling closer to Noin with a final contented sigh. 

Noin gently moved the dead boy to the side before looking up to the frantic officers looking to her for guidance. She narrowed her eyes, feet taking her in the direction of her students, only to see carnage. "Any other areas hit?"

Things rapidly spiraled away from Noin as she discovered only her students were hit and she ordered the suits off base. She only came out of her commanding daze when she saw the face of the person who'd caused her such grief. "How could you? Why would you?" It was just a youth, the same age as her students.

The oriental boy smirked, using her shock to flee to his Gundam Shenlong, the mecha coming back onto Noin's view screen quickly just to hack into her forces. She tried another question as she attempted to intercept the youthful teen. "Who are you?" She barely dodged the blade that was swung her direction, nimble fingers playing over the controls.

"Chang Wufei. None of you should be fighting me, because you are all weak!" He cut off the connection then, though he continued to monitor the frequency. In a parting gesture, he charged Noin's Gundam, causing it to topple before he sped away, leaving the stunned teacher with no one left to teach. He didn't want her dead, but perhaps death might have been a mercy.

* * *

Duo was sitting in a chair near the wall as Relena leaned over the boy in the bed, an amused expression on her face as she finished bandaging the bullet wounds. "Just a little trigger happy weren't you?"

Of course, the reply was quick in coming. "He was gonna shoot you! What did you think I was going to do? Watch?"

"No, course not. I could have taken care of it though. Remember, I learned the hand to hand stuff first and better!" Relena cast an evil eye towards Duo, only to meet a stuck out tongue for her efforts.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm the pilot though, so there!" Duo moved closer to the bed, head tilting a little as he took in the features of the person he'd decided he was going to try to convince to stick around.

Relena looked over at Duo's face and had to laugh. "Do I sense a crush?" 

Duo snorted and shook his head. "Yeah, his on you. Not my type sister. Not my type at all. Sides, I don't exactly feel like climbing into a love triangle at the moment, thank you very much."

Relena just shook her head, her pigtail braids swaying. At some point, she'd changed back into her own clothes. "Yeah, well, you just watch and see, I'll find the perfect man for you yet!"

Duo groaned, bringing his hand to his face. "Just why did I tell you I was bi again?"

Relena reached over, removing the hand that had blocked her view of seeing his face. "You told me because I told you. I just choose to use the information as an embarrassing weapon on you." A wide grin streaked across her face. "You _could_ always work on finding me the perfect woman you know.

Duo snorted, then rolled his eyes. "Of course Rena. Like any woman in her right mind would want to deal with you!"

"What happened to me being the perfect woman?" She turned her attention fully to Duo as she finished the last bandage. 

"Perfect for a guy, Rena, not for everyone." Duo grinned widely, then looked back to their temporary guest. He'd been rather glad that Howard didn't mind him being here, the differences in the Gundam were enough to keep Howard happy. Especially with exploring the new design and all.

Relena pouted for a second, then looked back to Heero as well. "Load of help you are. Y'know, he's kinda cute when he isn't trying to be all threatening."

Duo puffed up his chest proudly. "Ha! I'm a psychic. I just knew you'd like him."

Relena increased her glare on Duo with an annoyed sigh. "Fine, be that way. You'll see though, just you wait until you finally have someone liking you that you aren't all that sure about and see how I react."

Duo grinned at that, shaking his head. "If you react any different than I am, I'll be disappointed."

"Brat." Relena turned her attention back to the boy on the bed, only to meet dark blue eyes that were trained firmly on her. She'd never heard him wake up.

Duo saw his sister freeze and was on his feet in seconds, moving to stand beside the girl. "Ah. Good morning."

Heero narrowed his eyes at the pair, then seemed to take in that he wasn't restrained in any way. "Where am I?"

Relena rolled her eyes, the gruff question pulling her out of her frozen state. "You're at a little hideout of ours. Hey, are you planning on joining the team?"

Heero glanced from one to the other in confusion. "The team?" 

Duo smirked; understanding what Relena was getting at. "Yeah, what Rena said, up for joining the team? Being kinda solo is good an all, but maybe we could do more if you were to stick around a while, what d'you say?"

Heero flicked his attention back to Relena fully then, dark gaze considering her before turning back to Duo. "I'll see if it suits me."

Duo shook his head a little. "Course man. C'mon Rena, let's give the boy a little space." 

Relena nodded a bit, rising to her feet and looking over at Heero before nodding and moving towards the door. "Yeah, we'll handle the introductions later." 

With that, the two left Heero alone with his thoughts. They also left him with his confusion. _Why did I agree to stay?_


	3. Chapter Two

"You selfish, overbearing, overachieving bastard! Leave me alone!" This was all said from a highly outraged female as she stormed down the hall of her current school. 

"Rena! I didn't mean for him to do it, I swear!" This was from the person currently following the girl in question. 

Relena spun in place, bringing her brother to a standstill as she swept her furious gaze over him, heedless of the crowd that was watching them. They'd decided on a public boarding school this time, and that meant both Relena and Duo got to live on campus. "You didn't _mean_ it? How you could you not have meant it? He _crawled_ into my _bed_ Duo!" This was punctuated by a stomp of her foot.

"How was I to know he'd take it so seriously? I swear I didn't think he'd actually try something like that!" Duo held up his hands in a placating gesture as he inched closer to his infuriated sibling.

"I don't believe this..." Relena shook her head, spinning to look at the crowd of onlookers they'd drawn during the morning shouting match. Oops. In direct response to the curious looks, she glared, grabbing Duo's wrist, and yanking him off towards the girl's dorm. 

There was a flurry of snickering as they passed, Duo hanging his head a little in hopes of calming the blonde. "C'mon Rena, I'm _sorry_. We've only known him a couple months, y'know." Duo felt himself being yanked into Relena's room, and winced as he heard the slam. 

"And in those months, you know the boy has become completely creepy!" Relena crossed her arms over her crimson t-shirt, glaring at the braided teen in front of her.

"Now wait a sec. He hasn't been that bad! Usually, he doesn't even talk to you, or anything!" Duo looked up immediately. He'd gotten rather fond of the stoic boy that they'd kidnapped, and he found the three of them made a really good team. 

"Duo. He stares at me. Constantly. I feel like I have a magnet attached to me that has a direct connection to his eyes." Relena huffed, blushing a little as she remembered the scene she'd woken up to. She couldn't believe Duo had suggested he give her a wake-up kiss...

"He only looks though! He's been good! I know if you minded so much you would have knocked his lights out by now!" Duo crossed his arms as well now, nodding at Relena in a gesture that almost indicated 'so there.'

Relena huffed, unable to deny it. "Never do it again or I'll knock _your_ lights out!" She shook her fist at him threateningly to punctuate her point. 

Duo smirked, moving to her door so he could get back to his room to get dressed. "Love you too, sis!" He then ran out the door, leaving Relena to shake her head and sigh.

* * *

Quatre had been called off on a separate mission not long after he'd met Trowa, leaving him to return just to find his houseguest gone without a trace upon his return. It had been bad luck in his opinion, but there was nothing he could do about it by then. Instead, Quatre managed to work himself out from under the watchful eyes of the Maguanacs long enough for him to go on a spy mission. It wasn't one that was assigned. No, this was a personal matter. Why the hell was Milliardo on Earth?

Quatre followed Milliardo's movements as he ducked away from the speaker platform. He knew the taller blonde hated standing around while his guardian gave speeches. He'd confided in him when they were children that Darlian wasn't his original father. It had been hard to believe, but there was no denying the lack of physical resemblance between the two... Quatre shook off his thoughts, knowing that now was not the time. Quatre looked through a vent and found an empty room, slipping out of the air system carefully. 

It took Quatre only a few seconds of brushing himself off to realize where he was, his gaze lifting to the door as it opened, then slowly turning to look around as he took in the startled expression on the woman's face. There was a woman only a little taller than himself standing there, bag in hand. She had her hair back in a braided twist, wire-frame glasses, and a red with gold uniform. It only took Quatre a few seconds to comprehend what he had done. The empty room had been the ladies room.

"I am _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to!" Quatre turned bright red as he sidled past the woman, who looked more than a little unnerved by his presence. He didn't even stop to think it could have been anything but him being a guy. He'd dressed in his normal outfit so he'd fit in better if he had a chance to see Milliardo, so there was no reason for anyone to suspect him. 

The woman turned, following his progress out of the room with her eyes before the red-faced teen scurried out the door, heading after his old friend. The woman in question turned back to her bag, pulling out a little blue compact to set the bomb that lay within it. She simply hoped the boy wouldn't realize what was happening in time to be able to recognize her.

Quatre caught up to Milliardo a few seconds later, but he didn't stop moving, instead latching onto his arm and pulling the older male along behind him. "What do you think you're doing?" Milliardo sounded a little startled, but after a few seconds of being yanked unceremoniously along outside, he realized who was doing the pulling. "Quat?"

Quatre just shook his head, continuing to pull Milliardo along away from the building. He finally stopped when they reached the park across the street, having skillfully dodged the media. "What are you doing on Earth?"

Milliardo shook his head. "I came with father..." He didn't get past that before there was an explosion, both teens diving for the ground as debris exploded outward.

Quatre pushed Milliardo further back into the tree line as he rose, refusing to allow the significantly taller teen to approach the smoldering building. "No! Miri, you can't be seen now, what if someone is lurking around to pick you off?" Quatre could feel Milliardo starting to shake, and he steered him back. He knew his heart brother would never show his grief.

"There's no way he could have survived that..." Milliardo's voice was a whisper, and his eyes locked onto a figure that was near them, icy eyes running over the man dressed in uniform as the woman that Quatre had intercepted in the bathroom approached.

"Treize-sama, it's done." The woman was looking around, clearly expecting to see news crews arriving any moment.

The man, Treize, nodded. "It is a shame it must be done this way. We should depart before our presence is questioned. It is doubtful there would be survivors. Come Lady, let us be on our way."

The woman that had simply been called Lady, nodded, and the pair got into a car not far away. The two blondes attentively watched as they drove away. They wouldn't be forgotten.

Quatre finally released Milliardo from his death grip on his arm, allowing the other to move forward a bit. "You heard them Miri. There wouldn't be any survivors of an explosion set up like that... Come with me. We won't let the world know you're alive yet."

Milliardo shook his head, closing his hands into fists as he turned to Quatre. "How can you be so calm? My father was in there!"

Quatre let out a deep breath, taking one of the taller blonde's fists in hand and uncurling it before he started to walk backward quickly, pulling. "Getting upset won't do a damn thing. I know your father was in there! I know. I can feel your pain... You know that. Just... Come on, we have some things that we need to talk about."

* * *

Milliardo ended up being led to the other side of the park. There, Quatre went shopping for hair-ties, sunglasses, a hat, and a coat for Milliardo. This left the taller teen with a long ponytail down the back of his new black coat, while the hat and glasses obscured his face. He really didn't like this though. He was used to facing up to the problems that came with his life, and he hated always having to hide. He was lucky that his father had ever let him even be friends with Quatre at all. That was one thing he could thank the smaller blonde's father for. But now... Now he was trying to understand why his little brother wasn't in a panic. No, he was being skillfully led through the city by one Quatre Winner, who seemed to have some goal in mind that he could only guess at.

"Quat." Milliardo tried to tug his hand out of the steel grip that it had been imprisoned in for the last hour. Realizing he was being ignored, he dug his heels in, forcing them to come to a grinding halt. "Quat! Where are we going?"

Quatre whirled, hearing the forceful tone in the voice of his dearest friend. In that second he could believe the secret that Milliardo had told him when he was eight. That he would be a king when he was grown. Milliardo was grown now, and Quatre found there was no way he could deny the fierce look on his face as anything but that of a king ready to go into battle. He was grieving, Quatre was sure of it, but it didn't show, only the demand etched onto that aristocratic face was visible. "I can't tell you here, you have to see."

"No, tell me, or we go not a step farther." The words were said through gritted teeth, and Milliardo braced himself against Quatre's tug.

"Remember those trips I couldn't tell you about? I'm going to show you." Quatre nearly fell as Milliardo stepped into him, but he was caught by the taller teen before he could hit the floor. 

"Lead on, then. Lead on." Milliardo then let himself be pulled along into the crowd of the city.

* * *

"Don't you think you're being a little hard on the guy?" Duo regretted the question the second his fingers were nearly smashed under a pile of books that Relena had slammed on the desk in front of him.

"No. He came back with you _hurt_ Duo! How am I supposed to _not_ be mad about that?" Relena glowered at Duo, who inched back in his seat under the evil look. 

"C'mon Rena it wasn't that bad. It was just a little bullet wound!" Duo waved his hand dismissively, holding off most of a wince as he flexed the injured muscles in his upper arm. "It's not like he did it. He couldn't have done a damn thing to have stopped the injury, short of getting us killed in there."

"Yeah?" Relena looked closely at Duo, who gave a cautious nod. "Okay then, I'm going on the next mission, you need a break."

Duo immediately choked, and had to have Relena pound on his back before he could breathe properly again. "No, I don't _think_ so! I can't let you do that, and you know it!"

Relena looked back, her eyebrows raising into her hairline. "You can't tell me yes or no. I'm going, and there isn't a thing you can do to stop me. Argument over."

Duo would have growled if he thought that would get through to Relena, but he knew it was useless. She was even more stubborn than he was, and he practically _defined_ stubbornness. He instead just watched as his practically suicidal sibling left the room. Not long after, a thoroughly bewildered Heero came into the room, looking back over his shoulder, as though he'd receive the answers if he just looked hard enough. "Come in here for a specific reason, man?"

Heero swung his attention to the braided teen he'd just been told he had to talk to. Maxwells were baffling creatures. This was a conclusion that Heero was starting to realize with far too much clarity. "Relena told me to."

Duo rolled his eyes, before gesturing to Heero to sit near him. Relena could be so melodramatic sometimes, and he could just tell her approach to Heero had been. "Rena is going to insist on taking my place in the next mission."

The reaction was actually rather calm, considering how Heero would usually react when the girl in question was involved. Maybe it was shock. "What?"

Duo nodded a bit. "Yeah, I don't think I'll be able to talk her out of this one." Duo waited, moving a little in place as Heero just stared at him in silence after his announcement. He started to get defensive, he knew Rena could do it, he just didn't want her to. "What? What is so freaky? We were both trained, y'know."

"Why would you let her?" Heero's eyes slowly focused, his normal façade dropping firmly into place to hide his expression as he spoke, only the barest wisp of disbelief apparent.

"She's determined, man. If I don't let her go when I'm in good health to go save her, how the _Hell_ could I go save her once I'm beaten into submission?" Duo crossed his arms, only giving a little flinch as the bullet wound pulled. 

"Fine..." Heero moved to get up, before realizing something. "Duo... I think she already left."

* * *

Relena studied the building that she was going to get her information from, and she frowned. There were more guards than she believed there would be, according to that e-mail. Howard was trying to keep them up to date, but between him, J, and G, they still couldn't manage to be right all the time. That was completely okay. Not even their esteemed guardians were perfect.

Instead of cursing the misinformation, she just shook her head, adjusting her outfit carefully. Not long after they got to Earth, they decided that if they were going to do a mission together, they'd look as alike as possible without losing their own unique color associations. That way they'd be harder to identify as being separate people. This was how Relena ended up with a black cap pulled low over her eyes, while in a black priest outfit that had a red shirt instead of white, and a single braid down her back. 

"Time to get this show on the road, girl." Relena nodded to herself, then set off towards the base, unaware of the other person that was doing exactly the same thing as she was, just on the opposite side of the base, and dressed in white. That was the thing that ruined the entire plan. For both of them.

* * *

It had taken all of half an hour after bringing Milliardo to his Gundam before the taller blonde had demanded to know everything. It was even worse due to the fact that he wanted to know if it was possible for him to join the fight in some way. In his frustration, Quatre did the only thing he could think of, he shoved Milliardo into his Gundam and took them both to the Maguanacs. It was proving to have been a very large mistake.

"Master Quatre..." Rashid leaned into Quatre's main sitting room as he spoke, bringing the small blonde's attention to him. "I do not believe that you will be able to keep Master Milliardo away from the hanger. He is proving to be incredibly persistent. He also seems to have a natural talent around the mobile suits."

Quatre groaned, thumping his head down on the desk as he heard the news. He hadn't really considered that Milliardo's interests in technology would come into play. See... it was times like this that he felt like an idiot. Of course Milliardo would gravitate to the large machines that Darlian had spent his entire life keeping him away from. Quatre had heard the complaints often enough to have known better. 

"Would you prefer for us to continue to keep him from the hanger, Master Quatre?" Rashid understood the little blonde's frustration, having shared it for the last week. The moment that Milliardo had discovered the number of mobile suits, he had thrown himself into studying them. They practically had to pry him away with a crowbar. And they were willing to bend to Quatre's wishes to an extent, though they could only go so far to keep the tall blonde from the machines without locking him up.

Quatre shook his head on the desk, sighing. "Don't bother to try, Rashid. He's been interested in the things since I first met him. As long as he doesn't try to fly one, just leave him alone." The words were muffled, but fully understandable.

Rashid shook his head, backing out of the room and returning to the hanger to talk to the other Maguanacs about the change of actions regarding their guest. Now that Quatre was no longer persistent in keeping the older teen away from the machines, then a pair of the more enthusiastic members of the corps could start teaching him what was what properly. If nothing else, then he would prove to be a very ingenious mechanic.

* * *

"This is all your fault." Relena glared across the cell they'd been in for the last two days at the oriental boy across from her.

Said boy, Wufei, cracked his eyes open from the meditative state he'd once again fallen into. He then decided the best way to get his point across was to glare at the cause of his annoyance. "You tripped the alarms, not I."

"It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't thought you were a guard." Relena leaned back on the wall behind her, arms crossed on her chest as she returned the glare, unwilling to lose the ongoing argument. It had toned don't from when they'd first been tossed in, but neither was all that happy with the situation.

"You wouldn't have thought I was a guard, if you knew what you were doing." Wufei closed his eyes against the indignant sound that came from Relena, smirking in victory.

"I _know_ what I'm doing! It's your fault we're in this cell, because _you_ were the one that made noise when you saw me." Relena snapped her mouth shut when the door opened a second later. Two sets of eyes flicked open to regard the pair of people standing in the doorway. Of course, Relena recognized the two boys as their rescuers. "It's about time!"

Wufei slowly got to his feet, watching the girl that had been badgering him tackle another figure, one that was dressed in almost identical clothing, in a hug. She was pushed back a second later so he could scrutinize her for injuries. "You might want to postpone your greetings."

Duo released Relena immediately, twisting to see who the owner of the rather sardonic voice could be, eyes slightly narrowed as he hunted around the dark cell. "You're right. Introductions can come later, for now, we have a rescue to finish." After a brief second of debate, gunfire erupted off to his left and Duo tossed Wufei a gun, choice made. Getting another from Heero, he passed it quickly over to Relena, making sure she was armed. "C'mon you two, time to go."

There was a round of nods, and after a few shots to scatter the guards, Heero gestured that it was all clear. The four could slip out into the base a few seconds later. After two days of captivity, in the case of Relena, and the new member added into the mix, you'd think they'd have trouble coordinating their efforts. Instead, it was like they'd trained together for years. It was the start of yet another adjustment to the team.

* * *

Relena eyed Duo, well aware that his congenial manner would disintegrate the moment he had a few minutes to chew her out. Her bruises likely wouldn't make his fussing any less either. Knowing Duo, they'd likely make him even more upset than he was already. Rather than trying to read her brother's mind, she turned her attention to the pair of Asian boys who were trying to glare each other into submission. Introductions were definitely in order.

"Okay, if you two would stop your staring contest for a minute, then I can introduce everyone to everyone else." Relena waited until she had the full attention of the boys, including her brother. She wasn't looking forward to explaining how she managed to get caught on her first mission. "Okay, I am Relena Maxwell, as all of you know. That's my brother, Duo, and that guy over there is Heero Yuy. This new guy in white, and the all too snug ponytail, is Chang Wufei." Relena gestured to each in turn, then finally let herself sit down on the dusty couch. This safe house wasn't really all that great, but she'd seen worse.

Wufei inclined his head, watching the three others in the room as Relena practically collapsed from exhaustion. "You might want to tend to the girl's injuries."

Duo had turned to look at Wufei right as the boy spoke, and immediately turned his attention back to his sister. He cursed as he realized that the new guy was right. "Damn it Rena! _This_ is why I didn't want you to go on any missions without me. You're all banged up..." Duo moved to his bag, digging out a first aid kit as Relena took off her hat, then started to undo the overshirt she wore. 

"I think they cracked a rib. Other than that, I'm pretty much okay, just some severe bruising." Relena shrugged out of her undershirt next, leaving her in just a sports bra. This action resulted in both Heero and Wufei turning an impressive red as they spun to face another direction. Duo was completely unaffected. "You got that bruise cream I found?"

Well, maybe not entirely unaffected, he was still in mad mother hen mode. Duo growled under his breath as he saw the boot print across Relena's left side, the mark going right across an old scar. "Damn it! You are _never_ going to go on a mission without me again! How could you let them do this to you?" He swabbed at the wound, noting the skin had broken a bit, and he carefully wrapped her torso in bandages so the rib could heal.

"It wasn't a matter of let, it was a matter of being unable to outrun the bastards." Relena released a breath once Duo had finished with the wrapping, turning her head so he could tend to the black eye. "At least they never looked close enough to realize I was a girl. My boyish features come in handy for something."

"Is that supposed to make me feel _better_?" Duo gave her an incredulous look, handing her a clean shirt before he started to dab at the bruises on her jaw. He'd apparently forgotten that they had a highly interested audience of two that was listening to the entire exchange. "I'm supposed to take care of you, Rena! You're my baby sister, forever and always."

"You don't know that I'm younger than you. I'm pretty sure we're the same age actually... I'm supposed to take care of _you_ D, not the other way around. I don't care what you remember, you need to be taken care of!" Relena hissed out a breath as Duo rubbed the cream into her jaw. "Not so hard, damn it!"

"I'm not the one that got the snot beaten out of me during my first information run." Duo lowered his voice, finally managing to calm down once Relena's injuries had all been tended to. He was sure she was safe now, so he didn't have to be quite so anxious.

"No, you just got shot on the most recent one. I'd rather be bruised than holy." Relena stuck out her tongue in a distinctly childish gesture, then waved her hand at the two boys that had finally turned around. "While you're playing nurse, wrestle the guy who made me set off the alarms into showing you his own mess of bruises."

Duo blushed slightly as he realized that her words meant that the little argument had been overheard. The he turned he got to see dark, amused eyes watching them both. "Right then. Feiers, correct? Okay, let's see your damage."

Wufei glared at Duo immediately. "No, it is Wufei, Chang Wufei. Do not get it wrong again." He made no move to reveal his bruises, so Duo commenced on lightly pressing his way across Wufei's ribs and stomach. Seeing no horrible reactions, aside from a few winces, Duo started to tend the marks that adorned the Asian boy's face. If there were no damaged bones, then he wouldn't make Wufei strip.

"Grouchy, grouchy. Ah well, I would be too if I got stuck in one of those cells for a couple days. They did feed you guys at least, right?" Duo said this calmly, seeing Heero move to fuss over Relena out of the corner of his eye. 

"Yes, we were given one meal early during what I presume was this morning." Wufei looked up at Duo as the teen moved back, noting that he appeared to be the same height, simply slimmer. "How is it you have those two with you?" Wufei nodded to where Relena was trying to make Heero leave her alone, his fussing clearly turning rather annoying to her.

"Well, the girl is my sister, I'd never dream of leaving her behind. The other one is my current partner. We work pretty good together now that he's gotten it through his head that he doesn't have to work alone all the time." Duo shrugged. "You care to join the team? We don't have a name or anything like that, but I think it might interest you..."

Wufei scoffed immediately. "What interest would I have in joining your little group here?"

Duo rolled his eyes, sitting back on his heels as he set the medical kit aside. "First of all, that would stop us from meeting up this way again. Secondly, it would really be better for all involved if we teamed up and pooled our resources and information. If we're effective _now_ , just think of how effective we'll be if we hook up together. We can take on bigger jobs and stuff. Think about it before you make up your mind."

Wufei considered Duo for a long moment before nodding slightly. He was ready to allow for the idea, deciding that he should think it over before choosing to stay or go. "I'll consider it."

* * *

Noin had caught wind of the prisoners that the South Georgia base had acquired, and she arrived just in time to watch the place go up in flames. She was furious. It had definitely sounded like her rival was one of those captured. One an Asian teen with dark eyes, black hair, and white formal clothing, the other a teen of the same size with blue eyes, a long braid, and a priest outfit. There was little doubt from her that the Asian was Chang Wufei. She had some vengeance to take out of that boy's hide, and she had been coming to get it. 

She was thwarted though, as she saw the South Georgia place fall into ruin, the escapees making sure that all information on the base about them went down when they left. They just wouldn't be Gundam pilots had they done any less to defend their identities.

She was just sure of one thing. If Chang Wufei could get caught, that made him fallible, and that meant that she would be able to get back at him for what he had done. It's not as though she had any other goal to pursue. First, she had to convince Otto to allow her near his most prized possession, an old suit he'd found a month before that he had been fixing up. He'd mentioned it to her before, but she hadn't really considered it until she'd watched the base, where the pair had been captives at, go up in flames. 

"Chang Wufei. You are going to suffer for killing my students. They weren't soldiers yet, and you had no right to kill them in their sleep!" After she made that promise to the ruins, the woman turned to walk away, plans falling into place. She just had to do a few things correctly, and she could have what she wanted.

* * *

Treize walked out before the camera and cleared his throat. He was preparing for the first of many important speeches he would be giving in the near future. It didn't matter how short they ended up being, or how long, just so long as they got across the message that he needed them to present to the public. He just hoped that this particular speech wouldn't be one he would soon come to regret as he had so many. "I, General Treize Khushrenada, am announcing the separation of the military organization called the Order of the Zodiac, also referred to as OZ, from the Alliance. We are against the corruption that has overtaken the previous forces, and as I speak, those who are part of the order are dealing with the corruption in their own ways. Those who are in OZ, you know who you are, and what it means to be part of these honorable ranks. Those who are not, I will not bar you from joining me if you are willing to take up the ways of valor. That's all I had to say, for the actions of my soldiers can speak for themselves. Thank you." Treize stepped back from the podium with his head held high, before turning and flicking off the comm signal that had been in transmission. "Lady Une... Have I really done the right thing?"

Une nodded slightly, offering Treize a glass of water as she made him sit down. "Treize-sama you've done what you believed was best. Your plan will succeed. You'll see."

Treize gave a bitter laugh, then looked around the little transmission room. "Of course, but at what cost, dear Lady? At what cost will it all end?"


	4. Incomplete Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I ever resume this story, this chapter will be replaced by a _complete_ version.

Quatre resisted the urge to fidget, wondering why he’d agreed to teach Milliardo to pilot a Mobile Suit. What logic could have been good enough that he could have caved in after the last two months of keeping the guy away from them? He had to admit that he’d gotten really good at fixing the various machines, but he didn’t think it was right that he should fight. 

Milliardo moved around the Gundam, a knowing smile on his face as he came to stand beside Quatre, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Quat, I know what you’re thinking. I’m about as pacifistic as you.”

“Don’t say that. I know you have some goal in that head of yours.” Quatre turned a little, studying his companion. The Maguanacs had only been willing to let him leave if he had the blond in tow. 

“I do, but I have to know in case something happens to you. You know as well as I do that I don’t want you to get hurt, but look what you’re doing! No, I’ll learn. Even if I never fight, I want to at least understand what I’m doing if I have to.” Milliardo lifted his hand, circling around the machine he’d come to adore in his time with his younger companion. He liked fixing the machine, or tampering with it. After the basic teachings from the Maguanacs, he’d taken off on his own to learn everything there was about it.

“You won’t let me change your mind huh?” Quatre played with a dial, still uncertain if this was wise after the fight the week before. They’d barely escaped the trap that had been set for them, and he was still a little wary over the information for the peace summit that was circulating. 

“No. I won’t. I’d like to get started while it is daylight.” Milliardo stepped to the side as Quatre swatted at him, a smirk on his face. 

“Jerk.” Quatre shook his head, but he was already moving to show Milliardo what he needed to do.

* * *

Duo turned the paper in his hands, almost itching as he felt considering gazes peering over his shoulder. It wasn’t bad enough that Rena had crawled into his lap? No, the other two boys had to come over and look as well. “If you’d just let me read it, you guys could stop crowding me.”

“I want to go.” Relena leaned back against her brother’s chest, a speculative look in her eyes. “It’s a trap, I know. I want to go.”

“If we go, it will be a mistake.” Wufei’s voice was soft. He’d integrated himself into the group quickly after a few missions, and he found himself completely unable to relinquish his place. The blond girl reminded him too much of Meiran. He wanted to stick around to take care of her. Like a sister.

“You think I didn’t notice that?” Relena twisted in place, causing a pained hiss to come from her perch, and she immediately twisted again. “What? Duo?”

“That’s my groin. Off!” Shoving at her with impatient hands, Duo managed to get her far enough away he could curl into a protective ball. “Evil!” He wasn’t all that pleased when he got a snicker out of Heero for his pain, and a bemused look from Wufei. Relena didn’t even give him a second glance. “Evil, all of you.”

“The specials will be attending. Didn’t they recently break away?” Heero picked up the fallen paper and stepped back, ignoring the boy curled up on the floor.

“OZ is what they are calling themselves I think. They’ll play a trick. It’s the perfect place for one.” Wufei intercepted before Relena could tackle the boy for the paper. That simply wouldn’t work. “We should go, in case the people working in tandem with us show up.”

“I was just saying that. Boys, idiots, all of you.” She threw her hands up, sitting in a chair with a huff.

“So sue half the population. It happens.” Duo finally managed to soothe his pain and sat up. “We’ll go, we know it’s a trap, we’ll all be happy.”

“If you say so…” Heero frowned a little and sighed, glancing over at Relena, who was looking at him in that certain way. It wasn’t fair that she used his crush on her that way. Especially as she tended to avoid him… “So, what’s the plan then?”

Relena sprang forward, hooking an arm around her sibling, who nearly fell back over. “You see, it’ll be like this…”

* * *

“Sister darling, sister dearest, don’t forget our name.” Duo gave Relena a dark smile after the whisper, unfreezing her from her moment of unwanted stillness. Stillness that could have killed her. As soon as Duo moved away from her back with just a ghost of passing wind, Shinimegami was back in place, no longer being halted by the girl Maxwell.


End file.
